Members of the Armed Forces Community including current serving, veterans and spouses joined staff in the Council Chamber at East Cambridgeshire District Council to witness the signing of the council’s own Armed Forces Covenant. This not only supersedes the 2011 shared Armed Forces Community Covenant but gives the council the opportunity to refresh its commitment to support the Armed Forces Community through service aligned pledges.

The Armed Forces Covenant is a formal promise that together we acknowledge and understand that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, should be treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy, and society they serve with their lives.

It also identifies that special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.

Cllr Martin Goodearl, from Littleport, a former member of the Armed Forces and who took part in the signing, said: “This council is proud to recognise the invaluable contribution the Armed Forces have made, and I am honoured to be the council’s Armed Forces Covenant champion.

“As a council we regularly have close contact with current and former members of the Armed Forces. Some might face disadvantages compared to the general population, arising from service life, such as being unable to access certain services while serving overseas.

“As a council we work really hard to mitigate some of these disadvantages and go the extra mile to help those who have sacrificed the most.”

Tommy Kelly, Armed Forces Covenant Partnership Coordinator, and British Armed Veteran said: “Working with AFC Lead Officer, Dan Gawthrop at East Cambridgeshire District Council has helped support the creation 19 Covenant pledges across 8 service areas which will support the ambition that thinking “Armed Forces Community” and consideration for the disadvantages that the community face and, how to appropriately signpost, becomes part of everyday life at councils.”